Water-heater



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. BUERKLE.

WATER HEATER. N0. 591,588. Patented 0013,12, 1897.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. BUERKLE. WATER HEATER 1%.. 591,588.Patented Oct, 12,1897.

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fa: ncmRw PEYER: co mum UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST BUERKLE, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

WATER -HEATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,588, dated October12, 1897.

Application filed March 18, 1897- serni 628,114. on model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, AUGUST BUERKLE, a citizen of the'United States,residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and usefulImprovements in Waf ter-I-Ieaters, of which improvements the followingis a specification. i

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in valvemechanism for water-heaters, especially of that class orv kind known asdomestic heaters.

The invention has for its object a construc: tion of valve mechanismsfor controlling the flow of gas and water, the mechanisms being soconnected that the flow of gas andwater is controlled by andproportioned in accord ance with the flow of water from the heater.

It is a furtherobject of the invention to provide an increased flow ofgas to the pilotlight at such times as it is liable to be extinguishedby the flow of gas from the 'main burner and its cut-off therefrom.

The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of aheater having my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectionalelevation, on an enlarged scale, of the valve mechanisms controlling theflow of Water and gas to the heater. Fig. 3 is a view, partly in sectionand partly in elevation, illustrating the mechanism employed forincreasing the flow of gas to the pilot-light; and Fig. 4 is a sec-.tional plan view, the plane of section being indicated by the line IVIV, Fig. 3.

In the practice of my invention I provide a heater 1, of any suitableconstruction, but preferably consisting of a coil of pipe arrangedwithin a suitable shell, substantially as described andshowninapplication of J G. Beckfield, Serial No. 605,856, and filedSeptember 15, 1896. This coil is arranged in the upper part of the shell1, and in the lower part of the shell is located the annularburner 2.This burner is connected to the nozzle 3 of the gas-valve mechanism, andthe gassupply pipe is similarly connected to the nozzle4. The flow ofgas is controlled by a plug 6, preferably tapered, as shown, so that theflow of gas will be proportioned in accordance with the elevation of theplug. On the upper end of the plug 6 is secured a washer 7, preferablyformed of rubber, and a supporting metal washer 8. The rubber Washerserves'to entirely cut off the flow of gas, while the tapering plugbelow the washer will regulate the flow in accordance with the flow ofwater, as will be hereinafter described. The plug 6 an'dwasher 7 aresecured to the upper end of a rod 9, which extends down through suitablestuffing-boxes into the cylinder 10, Within which is arranged the piston11, provided with a packing 12, forming a watertight joint with theWalls of the cylinder. The water-supply pipe 13 is connected to athreaded nipple 14, formed on the lower cap 15 of the cylinder, and thelatter is connected to the heating-coil, within .the case 1, by a pipe16, and the coil is connected by a pipe '17 to the service-pipes of thehouse.

- By reference to Fig. 2 it will be observed that the outlet-pipe 16 isconnected to the cylinder 10 at a point above the normal stroke of thepiston 11, and in order to permit water to flow by the piston into theupper part of the cylinder an opening, which may be conical, is formedthrough the piston, and in said opening is arranged a tapering plug 18.While this plug will be held normally seated Within the opening in thepiston by the pressure of Water, it is preferred to reinforce thewaterpressure by a spring 19, surrounding the stem 20 of the plug andbearing at one end against the piston and at the opposite end againstthe "shoulder2l on the stem. This stem is made ofsuch a'length thatas'the piston commences its upward movement the stem will bear is shownin Fig. 2, and consists of a conical block 22, provided with a threadedstem screwed into a spider 23, secured in the cap and locked in itsadjusted position by a nut 24. It will be observed that this auxiliaryvalve mechanism is arranged entirely within the cylinder or its cap, andhence cannot be tampered with after having been adjusted in its desiredposition.

The piston 11 is normally held at the lower end of the cylinder 10 bymeans of a spring 25, arranged in a cap 26 on the shell of the gas-valvemechanism and bearing at one end against the washer S and at theopposite end against the threaded plug 27, screwing into the cap 26,whereby it is possible to adjust the tension of the spring as required.This adjusting-plug is protected by an internallythreaded cap or plug28, screwing onto the cap 26, as shown in Fig. 2.

Care should be taken in adjusting the tension of the spring 25 not torender it so great as to prevent the easy shifting of the piston whenthe pressure of water above the latter is relieved. As soon as thispressure on the upper side of the piston is relieved the pressure ofwater on the under side thereof will force the piston 11 and the block 6upward, thereby u nseatin g the washer '7 and the tapering plug 18,permitting gas to flow to the annular burner 2 and water to flow to thecoil in the case or shell 1. If the faucets in house service-pipes arefully opened, all fluid-pressure above the piston will be relieved andthe latter can be shifted to the limit of its movement by the pressurein the supply-pipe, thereby effecting an opening of the passage throughthe piston and also through the gasvalve mechanism to the fullest limit.If the fluid-pressure above the piston is not entirely relieved byopening the faucets, the piston will be raised only a short distance andthe gas and water valves only slightly opened. It is thus seen that theflow of gas will be always proportioned to the flow of water through thecoil.

Considerable trouble is experienced by reason of the blowing out of thepilot-light on the sudden flow of gas from the main burner 2 and thepuff or quick explosion which occurs when the gas is cut off from themain burner. In order to overcome this difliculty, I provide for anincreased flow of gas to the pilot-light just prior to the flow of gasto the main burner and its cut-off therefrom. To this end the gas-supplypipe 29 is connected by a branch 30 to a passage 31 in the walls of thecylinder 32, the ends of said passage being connected with the upper andlower ends of the cylinder 32, respectively. The pilotlight 33, whichmay be of any suitable construction, is connected by a pipe 3i toapassage 35, formed in the walls of the cylinder 32 and connected to theupper and lower ends of said cylinder, as shown in Fig. 3. The passage31 is provided at or near its ends with check-valves 3G 36, which willpermit the easy flow of gas to the cylinder, but will prevent its flowtherefrom into the passage 31. The passage is similarly provided withcheck-valves 37 and 37, adapted to permit the flow of gas from thecylinder, but to prevent any return thereto. Within the cylinder 32 isarranged a piston 38, having its stem 39 connected to one end of a levert0, the opposite end of which is provided with a slot which engagestrunnions ll,formcd on or secured to the rod 9. It will be observed thatunder normal conditions gas from the supply-pipe 29 will flow easilythrough the pipe 30 and passage 31 to the cylinder 32, and from thencethrough the passage 35 and pipe 3% to the pilot-burner. As soon as thepiston 11 commences its upward movement the lever.

40 will be so shifted by the rod 9 as to pull the piston 38 down withconsiderable rapidity, thereby forcing the gas below the piston throughthe passage 35 and pipe 34: to the pilot-light, causing a suddenincrease and steadiness to the pilot-flame. As the piston 11 is moveddown by its spring 25 the piston 38 will be forced up, pushing the gasfrom the upper end of the piston 32 to the pilot-light, so as to steadythe flame and prevent its being blown out by the puff or explosionconsequent on the turning off of the gas from the main burner. As soonas the piston 38 becomes stationary the gas will flow normally to thepilot-light.

I claim herein as my invention 1. The combination of a fluid-receptaclehaving supply and outlet pipes, a gas-burner for heating the receptacle,a valve for regulating the flow of gas to the furnace, a piston adaptedto be shifted on the withdrawal of water from the receptacle andconnected to the gas-regulating Valve, and a valve operated by themovements of the piston for controlling the flow of water to the heater,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a fluid-receptacle having supply and outlet pipes,a piston adapted to be shifted by and in accordance with the escape ofwater from the receptacle, a valve controlling the flow of water to thereceptacle and adapted to be shifted by the piston in accordance withits movements, a gas-burner for heating the receptacle, and a valveoperated by the piston and adapted to control the flow of gas to theburner proportional to the flow of water through the heater,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a main gas-burner, a pilot-light burner and meansoperative on the flow of gas to the main burner and its outoif therefromfor increasing the flow of gas to the pilot-burner, substantially as setforth.

4. The combination ,of a main gas-burner, a pilot-light burner and meansoperative on the flow of gas to the main burner for increasing the flowof gas to the pilot-burner, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a main gas-burner, a pilot-light burner and meansoperative on the cut-off of gas from the main burner for increasing theflow of gas to the pilot-burner, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of a fluid-receptacle having inlet and outlet pipes,a, cylinder arpiston for regulating the flow of gas to the 10 ranged inthe line of connection of the inlet; burner, substantially as set forth.pipe, a piston arranged to operate between In testimony whereof I havehereunto-set the inlet and outlet ports of the cylinder, and my hand. 5provided with a passage therethrough, avalve c'ontrolling the flow ofWater through the pis AUGUST B ton and adapted to be unseated on themove- Witnesses: ment of the piston, a gas-burner for heating DARWIN S.WOLCOTT, the receptacle, and a Valve connected to the v F. E. GAITHER.

